A detective hunting two men who gunned down and robbed a businessman in front of his young nephew has issued a new appeal for help to catch his killers at his inquest.

Pragaret Singh - known to friends and family as Charlie - was shot in the stomach outside Manchester Food Traders on Wood Street in Openshaw on October 31, 2014 by two men who then took £28,000 of his takings.

An inquest into the death of the 35-year-old from Swinton, at Manchester Coroner’s Court heard no one has been charged over the father-of-threes murder, but the police case wouldn’t be closed.

Det Chf Insp Richard Eales told the inquest that the case had been ‘difficult’ as there was only one witness and the murder happened on a dark and secluded back street in the rain.

Pragaret 'Charlie' Singh (Image: Facebook)

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He said the incident was an ‘extremely harrowing and terrible’ incident for Mr Singh’s nephew - then aged 14 - and revealed it happened within a space of ‘20 to 30 seconds’. Forensic opportunities, he said, were limited as a result.

Senior coroner Nigel Meadows joined Greater Manchester Police to appeal to the public to come forward with information to give Mr Singh’s wife Sukhwinder Singh and the rest of his family closure and bring criminal charges.

DCI Eales said: “We need a member of the public who has intimate knowledge to come forward. We need somebody. Someone may have confided in someone close. Allegiances may have changed.

“It is an absolutely terrible incident. The family has struggled with this over the last three years and will continue to do so. The investigation is not going to be closed. It is not going to be forgotten about.”

An e-fit image depicting the killer of Charlie Singh

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Recording a verdict of unlawful killing Mr Meadows said intelligence had led to a number of arrests but after a ‘substantial and complex’ police investigation, there was currently not enough evidence to bring a prosecution.

“Sometimes information comes to light from different sources,” he said. “GMP have a particularly good record of clearing up what are described as cold cases. It is still ongoing. This is not the end of it.

“I was hoping that there would be a criminal prosecution, but that is not where we are. Unless these people are caught, they might use firearms again. If it is not you this time, it may be someone else in the future. The public are still requested to provide assistance.”

DCI Eales said two men in a light-coloured car - possibly a Seat Leon - parked in a car park outside the business at around 5.30pm.

Pragaret Singh, 35, who was gunned down outside his business Manchester Food Traders in Openshaw

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Mr Singh left 20 minutes later with his nephew, who was 14 at the time. Mr Singh was carrying a bag containing just over £28,000 in cash, the inquest heard.

DCI Eales said the men got out of the car and approached his BMW X5. One shot him before both men escaped with the bag in the car. He said three shots were fired in total from a .44 calibre handgun but only one bullet hit Mr Singh, causing ‘catastrophic injuries’. He died at the scene.

He added: “Mr Singh was shot as he was opening the back door of the car. He has tried to dive inside the car to avoid being shot.

A computer-generated image of a suspect was released and a £50,000 reward remains available.